When I first began to get more heavily tattooed a little over ten years ago, the one great heartbreak I had as a result was the reaction to the way I looked when I would go back to Greece once a year to see my family. Despite so much of my designs being influenced by ancient Greek motifs, it was still quite taboo for a woman to be covered in ink, no matter what the artwork. I even wrote in 2009 here about outright hostility in Athens toward me in a number of tourist shops in which I was ready to plunk down a lot of coin for some crap; one shop owner directly informed me that I was a disgrace when I spoke to her in Greek. I didn't get a tourist pass on the tattoos.

A lot has changed in a short time.

The country's renowned beaches have become more beautiful with the greater number of tattooed bodies, and the artwork that is being created from Greek tattooists has become renowned as well. In my 2009 post, I noted just a few of my favorite studios here, but there are so much more.

In keeping up with tattooing in Greece, I check HEARTBEATINK: an online tattoo magazine in English and Greek with excellent photography and videos; interesting interviews with tattooists, musicians, and collectors; and equal objectification of tattooed men and women (eye candy for all!).

I met the magazine's fabulous editor, Ino Mei, at the NYC Tattoo Convention, and she explained that the goals of the magazine are to showcase the explosive artistry that is coming out of Greece, but also bring to the country news and features of tattoo culture around the world.

In response to the "greedy corporate shadow [that] has steadily engulfed the tattoo world in recent times," Neil and Alex have set out to create an ethical publication "that answers to the tattoo community and no one else." This first issue delivers in its rich content with thoughtful profiles of artists including Marcus Maguire, Russ Abbott, David Corden and Nick Chaboya as well as convention coverage, event listings, product reviews and even a practical tutorial on drawing by Tony Ciavarro. And of course we're a bit biased in loving the interview with Dr. Matt Lodder, our favorite heavily tattooed academic art historian (and Dandy) shown below.

You know what Tattoo Revolution does not have a lot of? Gratuitous booby shots (unless you count Matt's tattooed pectorals). Now, we love boobs. But if you read us regularly, you know we're getting tired of the ubiquitous spreads of the "hot inked chick" who has the one ankle tattoo blurred in the background of her arched back, pouty-pouty pin-up shot. There are sexy women and men photographed in the magazine but they are beautifully tattooed and not, well, silly. Please, Neil and Alex, keep going along this path to respect over 50% of the tattooed population.

All this amounts to one well curated tattoo publication. The artists are vetted for stellar portfolios, the layout is clean, the photos tight and the writing smart. Unlike many other mags, I wouldn't be embarrassed to open it up on the subway and read it in public.

I downloaded the digital edition for 2.49 BP. Keep in mind that it doesn't read on the iPhone or iPad -- which I'd love to see in the future.